Impostor Footwear: Maison Martin Margiela’s tall cut-out knee boots

Martin Margiela has been at it again, reinventing the humble knee boot. It was good of him to think of it, but to be perfectly honest, we didn’t really think the knee boot needed reinventing, particularly, and certainly not in this way.

We’ve called these “Impostor Footwear” because, at first glance, they appear to be boots masquerading as shoes – or possibly vice versa – but that’s not quite right, because these are actually just your common or garden “boots with a whopping great hole in the front”. You know, a hole through which to expose your foot from heel to almost-toe. These will keep your feet more-or-less covered on one side, but will leave the instep almost totally exposed, which we guess will probably be the appeal for some people.

Are you one of them? Do these appeal to you? If so, you can get them at Browns, where they’re £545.